Method of and apparatus for making color cards



19, 1939. s M H 2,183,797

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COLOR CARDS Filed Jan. 9, 1957 4Sheets-Shet'l INVENTOR sAmusL H. SMITH ATTORNEY Dec. 19, 1939. s sMlTH2,183,797

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COLOR CARDS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJan. 9, 1937 INVENTOR 5 517054 51 TH f Of-gg ATTORNEY Dec. 19, 1939. 5sMlTH 2,183,797

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COLOR CARDS Filed Jan. 9, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 3 '82 a: A a:

' IN ENTOR 5/9/7051. )5. /7/T// BY 0? QLT ATTORNEY Dec. 19, 1939. I H2,183,797

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COLOR CARDS Filed Jan. 9, 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY g ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UlTEDSTATES TENT METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR. MAKING COLOR CARDS ApplicationJanuary 9,

17 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and to apparatus for making colorcards of the kind having color chips mounted thereon and usually bearingindicia for identifying the color of each chip with a particular paint,pigment or'the like. The invention relates particularly to separatingcolor chips from strip stock and to affixing the chips to colorcardblanks. It is contemplated that suitable adhesive may be carriedeither on the color card blank or on the color strip for securing thechips to the blank; and also that feeding means of any aproved type maybe provided for advancing the stock as new chips are to be formed. Thepurposes of the invention are to improve the art of forming color chipsfrom stock and affixing them to color card blanks; to provide forholding the chips substantially in pressure contact with a color cardblank as they are separated from the stock; to provide eflicient meansfor rendering the adhesive effective; to provide means which may beattached to apparatus of various kinds, as for instance, to well knowntypes of printing presses, for adapting such apparatus to the productionof color cards in accordance with this invention; and also to'provideapparatus of the class described having an improved construction andrelative arrangement of parts.

The features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a machine for making color cards, showingthe pressure transmitting members separated and illustrating theapplication of a'solvent for the adhesive;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing the pressuretransmitting members pressed together to form a color card;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of attachable means constituting one of thepressure transmitting members, showing this means in horizontal positionfor purposes of illustration;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line B6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a detail view similar to Fig. 4, but showing both pressuretransmitting members brought together to sever color chips from thestock and to aflix the chips to a color card blank;

Fig. 8 is a face view of a color card;

Fig. 9 is an edge view of the card shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectionalview of a strip of stock from which thecolor chips are formed;

Fig. 11 is an end elevation taken from the right of the apparatus shownin Figs. land 2,

1937, Serial No. 119,826

withparts omitted and broken away, and illustrating the rack forsupporting the strip stock;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a cutter plate; and

Fig. 13 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4, but showing only thecutter plates to illustrate 5 the normal positions and the abuttingrelationship of the cutter plates.

The apparatus selected for illustration comprises a main frame It! inwhich an oscillatory shaft H and a rotary shaft I2 are mounted. A crankarm I3 is fixed to the oscillatory shaft and carries a crank pin I4. Alink l6 connects this crank pin to a similar pin I! mounted on a wheel18 which is fast on the rotary shaft. Power for operating the machine istransmitted to rotary shaft l2. One of the pressure transmitting membersis in the form of a supporting plate or platen l9 which is fixed on theoscillatory shaft I l. Any suitable means (not shown) may be providedfor releasably retaining a color card blank in posi- L tion on thisplaten, as is well understood in the art. This platen carries aprojectionil which is engageable with a projection 22 of a self-closingvalve 23 in a supply pipe 24 which leads to a spray nozzle 26 disposedabove the platen as viewed in Fig. 1. The valve 23 and the pipe 24 maybesupported by any suitable means, as by a bracket 21 mounted on the mainframe.

The color chips 30 (Fig. 8) maybe formed from narrow strips or ribbonsof stock (Fig. 10) comprising paper or other suitable material 28,having on one side a layer or coating 29 of paint of the color andquality desired. Conveniently the other side of the stock may have acoating 3! of adhesive. This stock may be supplied from rolls 32 mountedon spindles or cores 33 which are rotatably supported in the rack 34mounted on the main frame. The number of rolls of stock on each spindleand the number of spindles carrying such rolls may be determined fromthe number and arrangement of the color chips on the finished card. Theillustrated apparatus is adapted to produce the card 35 shown in Figs. 8and 9, and hence, there are five rolls of stock on each spindle tocorrespond with the five horizontal rows of color chips and fourspindles to correspond with the four vertical rows of chips as viewed inFig. 8. The rolls of stock are spaced along each spindle in verticalalignment with the rolls on the other spindles (Fig. 11).

An idler roll 36 is rotatably mounted at the top of the main frame andthe strip stock is passed over this roller with the strips from thevertically aligned rolls in superposed relationship. Hence, from eachgroup of vertically aligned rolls there are four plies of stock, eachfrom a different roll and therefore of a different color, which passover the idler roller and downwardly between pairs of aligned feed rolls3'? and 38 (Fig. 4). These feed rolls are mounted on shafts 39 and Msupported in bearing brackets 42 and 43. A spur gear 44 fixed on theshaft 39 meshes with a similar gear 46 which is fast on the shaft 45,thereby causing these shafts and the feed rolls to operate in unison.

The feed rolls may be caused to advance the stock intermittently by anysuitable mechanism as, for example, by means of a ratchet wheel 47 fixedon shaft 4! (Figs. 1 and 2) and a spring pressed feed pawl 48 carried byan oscillatory arm 49 having a longitudinal slot in which a link 52 maybe adjustably connected to vary the feeding stroke as is wellunderstood. The other end of this link may be connected to the platenIS. A spring pressed pawl 53 may also be provided to prevent retrogrademovement of the ratchet wheel while the feed pawl is being retractedpreparatory to engaging a ratchet tooth for a feeding stroke.

A vertically disposed plate 56 (Fig. 1) is provided with guide channels5? (Fig. 5) for receiving the stock from the feed rolls and conductingit to points along these channels at which the color chips are formed.Cutter plates 59, 6!, 62 and 63 (Fig. 3) are disposed across this plate.Preferably each of these cutter plates is made of resilient materialsuch as spring steel, and is provided with end portions 64 and 66disposed in the same plane and adapted to be clamped against the plate56 as by means of angle strips 67 and 63 (Fig. 3) secured along theedges of plate 56 and overlying the end portions 64 and 66 of therespective cutter plates. Adjacent its end portions, each cutter plateis cut away to form an intermediate portion 69 (Fig. 12) which is bentoutwardly from the end portions so that these intermediate portionsnormally assume inclined positions substantially as shown in Figs. 4 and13. H of the intermediate portion is bevelled substantially as shown,and the edge H and the opposite edge 72 of the plate are squared so thatthe edge ll of one plate may cooperate with the edge 12 of an adjacentplate to sever strip stock dis-posed therebetween. The end portions 66and 66 of cutter plates 59, 5S and 62 abut against the adjacent portionsof the edges E2 of plates 6|, 62 and 63, while the end portions of plate63 abut against the squared edge of a flat plate 73 affixed to the plate56 and having a squared edge 72 which cooperates with the cutting edge Hof cutter plate 63. Above the plate 56, retaining strips l4, 176, ll,l8, l9 and 8| may be arranged to overlie the edges of the guide channelsto keep the stock therein. Adjacent each cf the cutting edges l2 and 72a yieldable support for the stock is provided by elastic rubber elementssuch as the tubes 62 Which extend entirely across the plate 56 above theguide channels and have their ends secured as by means of cement 83, 84(Fig. 6) to the angle strips 6? and 68 carried by plate 56.

Preferably the plate 56 and parts associated therewith are formed as aunit for attachment to existing machines, such as printing presses orother apparatus having pressure transmitting members or surfaces movablerelatively toward and from each other. Thus the idler roll 36 preferablyis carried by arms 86, 81 formed as a part of the bearing brackets 32and 43 (Figs. 3,

Preferably the underside of the edge 4 and 5) which are attached toplate 56 by bolts 88. The plate 56 may be mounted on the main frame inany approved manner (not shown).

In the operation of this apparatus the strips of color stock are takenfrom the underside of the supply rolls so that the tendency of theadvancing ends of the strips will be to curl outwardly over the rubbertubes 82 when given an opportunity to do so. In arranging the stock forthe first operation, the undermost ply in each guide channel is advancedso that its leading edge projects sufiiciently across the cutting edge"12' of plate E3 to form a chip of the desired size. Similarly theadjacent ply is brought across the edge T2 of plate 63, the next ply isbrought across the edge 72 of plate 62, and the outer ply is advancedacross the edge 52 of plate 6|. The color steel; is also arranged sothat its adhesive bearing sides are disposed outwardly from the guidechannels. A color card blank is positioned on the platen l9 and thesolvent for the adhesive of the color strips may be applied over theblank as a fine mist delivered from the spray nozzle 26. It will beunderstood that only enough of the solvent is applied to render theadhesive fully effective.

The apparatus may then be set in operation by applying power to rotateshaft I2 which, through its connections with shaft ll, causes the latterto oscillate through ninety degrees and the platen is is, therefore,oscillated through this same amplitude. As the platen moves from theposition shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2, the outwardly curlingends of the strips of color stock engage the approaching color cardblank and are pressed down against the cutter plates so as to be held inposition on the color card blank during the final period of clockwisemotion of the platen l 9 which presses the intermediate portions 69 ofthe cutter plates into a substantially continuous surface in a commonplane, thereby causing the cutting edges 'H to sever the projecting endsof the color strips across the cutting edges 72 and 72. It will beobserved that the chips are severed from the strip stock and afiixed tothe color card blank to complete the card during this instant ofengagement and pressure contact. It will be evident that this operationmay be carried on with great rapidity. Where higher speeds are desired,cam or other mechanism adapted to provide the requisite dwells in themotion of the platen, may be substituted for that shown.

As the platen moves in a counter-clockwise direction an attendant mayremove the finished color card and place another color card blank inposition on the platen. As the platen returns to the position shown inFig. l with a new blank in position, the projection 25 engages theprojection 22 and opens the valve 23 to cause the proper amount ofsolvent to be discharged from the spray nozzle 26, and the operationsjust described are repeated. It will be evident that, if desired, thenozzle 26 may be directed toward the adhesive bearing ends of the colorstrips instead of at the blank as shown. Moreover, thermoplasticadhesive may be used and rendered eifective by heating elements carriedby the platen or by the plate 56, or an open flame may be applieddirectly to the color card blank or to the ends of the strips of colorstock. Therefore, the term activating agent as used in the claims isintended to cover the application of heat where thermoplastic adhesiveis used, as well as the application of a solvent for other adhesives. In

any case, the adhesive may be carried either by the color strips or bythe color card blank.

While the features of the invention and the manner and process ofmaking, constructing and using it, and the best known mode of applyingthe principles thereof have been illustrated and described herein, itwill be understood that various modifications will occur to thoseskilled in the art when informed by this specification, and that theinvention is not limited except as'indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of members movable relatively toward and from eachother for eiiecting pressure contact between color strips and a colorcard blank disposed between said members, means efiective substantiallyas said members come into pressure transmitting relationship forsevering said color strips to form color chips for attachment to saidcolor card blank, and yieldable means for supporting said strips whilethey are being severed, said pressure transmitting relationship beingeffective as the strips are severed to hold the severed portions againstsaid color card blank.

2. The combination of relatively movable members for efiecting pressurecontact between a color card blank and portions of colorstrips disposedbetween said members, means for exposing between said relatively movablemembers the portions of said color strips to be afiixed to said colorcard blank, means for activating a layer of adhesive covering theexposed portion of the color strips, and means for severing said exposedportions from said color strips.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising guide means forconducting color strips, means having cooperating cutting edges adjacentsaid guide means, means tending to hold said cutting edges spaced toreceive each color strip to be severed, and means for simultaneouslypressing a color card blank against the portions of saidv color stripsextending beyond said cutti g edges and for severing said portions.

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising means having cooperatingcutting edges, means tending to hold said cutting edges spaced toreceive color strips to be severed, and means for simultaneouslypressing against a color card blank those portions of the color stripsextending beyond said cutting edges and for pressing said cutting edgestogether to sever said portions of said color strips.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprising guide means forconducting superposed color strips, a plurality of plates havingcooperating cutting edges disposed across said guide means, meanstending to hold the cutting edges of adjacent plates spaced to receive acolor strip from the guide means, and means for simultaneously pressingagainst a color card blank those portions of the color strips extendingbeyond the cutting edges and for causing said cutting edges to seversaid extending portions of said color strips.

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising guide channels forconducting superposed color strips, a plurality of plates havingcooperating cutting edges extending across said guide channels andspaced longitudinally therealong, means tending to hold the cuttingedges of adjacent plates spaced to receive a color strip from a guidechannel, and means for simultaneously pressing against a color cardblank those portions of the color strips extending beyond the cuttingedges and causing said cutting edges to sever said extending portions ofsaid color strips.

'7. Apparatus of the class described comprising means having cooperatingcutting edges, means tending to hold said cutting edges spaced toreceive color strips to be severed, yieldable means for supporting thecolor strips beneath said cutting edges, and means for pressing a colorcard blank against those portions of the color strips extending beyondsaid cutting edges to sever said extending portions of said colorstrips.

8. Apparatus of the class described comprising guide channels forconducting superposed color strips, a plurality of plates havingcooperating cutting edges extending across said guide channels andSpaced longitudinally therealong, means tending to hold the cuttingedges of adjacent plates spaced to receive a color strip from a guidechannel, elastic tubes extending across said guide channels adjacentsaid cutting edges for supporting color strips, and means forsimultaneously pressing against a color card blank those portions of thecolor strips extending beyond the cutting edges and causing said cuttingedges to sever said extending portions of said color strips. v

9. Apparatus of the class described comprising a plurality of plateshaving cooperating cutting edges for severing a color strip disposedtherebetween, one of said plates supporting the portion of the colorstrip extending beyond said cutting edges for pressure contact with acolor card blank, whereby said extending portion of said color strip maybe held in pressure contact with a color card blank as said extendingportion is severed by said cutting edges.

10. Apparatus of the class described comprising adjacent platesangularly disposed to a common plane, each plate having cutting edges, acutting edge of one plate being adapted to cooperate with a cutting edgeof an adjacentplate, said angularly disposed plates being depressiblesubstantially into a common plane for causing the cooperating cuttingedges to sever color strips disposed therebetween and for causing saidplates to support the portions being'severed from the color strips forpressure contact with a color card blank.

11. Apparatus of the class described comprising adjacent platesangularly disposed to a common plane, each plate having cutting edges, a

cutting edge of one plate being adapted to cooperate with a cutting edgeof an adjacent plate,

said angularly disposed plates being depressible into said common planefor causing the cooperating cutting edges to sever color strips disposedtherebetween and for causing said plates to support the portionsbeing'severed from the color strips for pressure contact with a colorcard blank. I

12. Apparatus of the class described comprising plates angularlydisposed to a common plane, each plate having cutting edges, a cuttingedge of one plate being adapted to cooperate with a cutting edge of anadjacent plate, guide means for conducting color strips to saidcooperating cutting edges, said angularly disposed plates be ingdepressible substantially into a common plane for cau ing thecooperating cutting edges to sever color strips disposed therebetweenand for causing said plates to support the portions being severed fromthe col-or strips for progressive pressure contact with a color cardblank.

13. Apparatus of the class described comprising plates angularlydisposed to a common plane each plate having cutting edges, a cuttingedge of one plate being adapted to cooperate with a cutting edge of anadjacent plate, yieldable means for supporting color strips adjacentsaid coopcrating cutting edges, said angularly disposed plates beingdepressible substantially into a common plane for causing saidcooperating cutting edges to sever color strips disposed therebetweenand for causing said plates to provide support for the portions beingsevered from the color strips for progressive pressure contact With acolor card blank.

14-. Apparatus of the class described comprising plates angularlydisposed to a common plane, each plate having cutting edges, a cuttingedge of one plate being adapted to cooperate with a cutting edge of anadjacent plate, guide means for conducting color strips to saidcooperating cutting edges, and elastic elements disposed along saidcooperating cutting edges for yieldably supporting color strips, saidangularly disposed plates being movable substantially into a commonplane for causing said cooperating cutting edges to sever color stripsdisposed therebetween and for causing said plates to provide support forthe portions being severed from the color strips for progressivepressure contact with a color card blank.

15. The method of severing a color chip from a strip and aifixing thechip to a color card blank which comprises yieldably supporting theportion to be severed from the strip at an angle to the surface of thecolor card blank while progressively effecting pressure contact betweensaid blank and said portion so as to cause substantially the entiresurface of said portion to come in contact progressively with said colorcard blank, and then severing said portion from the strip.

16. The method of severing a color chip from a strip and aiiixing thechip to a color card blank Which comprises providing a layer of adhesivebetween the color card blank and the portion to be severed from thecolor strip, yieldably supporting said portion of the strip at an angleto the color card blank, activating said adhesive, progressivelyeifecting pressure contact between said blank and aid portion so as tocause substantially the entire surface of said portion to come incontact progressively with said color card blank, and then severing saidportion from a the strip.

17. In a device of the class described, a member adapted to supportcolor strips, a member adapted to support a blank, said members beingmovable into pressure transmitting relationship, means operable to severcolor chips from the color strips as said members are brought intopressure transmitting relationship, said means serving to hold severedchips against the blank and thereby attaching the severed chips to theblank to form a color card.

SAMUEL H. SMITH.

